Contact an experienced Eugene mesothelioma lawyer if you’ve been injured by asbestos. Eugene, Oregon, is well known for its scenery and outdoor recreation, but the city’s history with asbestos use in many industries left a lasting impression on workers and residents.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for significant compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in Eugene, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
- Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
- Learn how to get paid in 90 days
- File for your share of $30 billion in trust funds
Eugene, Oregon, Asbestos Facts
- More than 400 people in the Eugene area and Lane County died from asbestos-related illnesses between 1999 and 2017.
- Several industries important to the area contributed to asbestos exposure in workers, including lumber, manufacturing, and insulation.
Why Do I Need a Eugene Mesothelioma Lawyer?
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have a right to seek compensation. Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by negligent workplace asbestos exposure. A top Eugene, OR, mesothelioma can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Mesothelioma is an expensive disease requiring extensive treatment by professionals. An asbestos lawyer can help you get the money you need to cover these costs and others.
How Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Eugene, Oregon?
Most people with a mesothelioma diagnosis were exposed to asbestos on the job decades ago. You could have been exposed at one or more jobs in and around Eugene. At one time, most industries used asbestos. The types of industries with the greatest risk of exposure include:
- Construction
- Insulation
- Manufacturing
- Shipbuilding and ship repair
- U.S. Navy
- Steel mills
- Lumber mills
- Paper mills
- Mining
Asbestos and the E.J. Bartells Company
Established in 1923, the E.J. Bartells Company makes insulation and fabric materials. The more well-known companies that E.J. Bartells has supplied with materials include Boeing, Intel, Xerox, and Apollo Sheet Metal. It is an important employer in Eugene but has also exposed many workers to asbestos.
When the company began, E.J. Bartells used asbestos to provide insulation and heat resistance in many products. This not only put workers at risk at job sites that received the company’s products but also numerous people who used the products.
The company ended up facing numerous mesothelioma lawsuits due to worker asbestos exposure.
In 2000, the company stopped doing business, but a private company revamped it in 2001 and renamed it just E.J. Bartells. It has several branches throughout Oregon.
One high-profile case against the company happened when the spouse of a former electrician filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several companies, including E.J. Bartells.
The electrician died from pleural mesothelioma after excessive asbestos exposure. A jury found E.J. Bartells partially responsible for his death.
The victim’s spouse won $1.5 million in economic damages, $3 million in punitive damages, and an additional $307,000 in compensatory damages.
E.J. Bartells was again hit with another wrongful death lawsuit when the family of a former employee sued the company for the employee’s death benefits, disability benefits, and funeral costs.
E.J. Bartells Company settled the case, and in turn, the deceased’s family received monthly payments of $750 over the next 20 years.
More lawsuits followed, and with the overwhelming amount of cases against them, E.J. Bartells filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2000.
One of the conditions of bankruptcy protection was that an asbestos trust fund was to be established to cover both pending and future asbestos lawsuits against the company.
E.J. Bartells Company manufactured a variety of materials and products that contained asbestos, including:
- Tapes
- Sealants
- Adhesives
- Cement
- Board insulation
- Joints
- Pipe coverings
- Insulation pads
- Duct connectors
Additional Job Sites Associated with Asbestos in Eugene
In addition to the E.J. Bartells Company, many other job sites, businesses, and buildings have been associated with asbestos use in Eugene. Numerous buildings are still in use today.
Lumber Companies and Plywood Mills
- Associated Plywood Mills
- Bohemia Lumber Company
- Lane Plywood
- Cuddeback Lumber
Schools
- University of Oregon
- Adamson Elementary School
- Twin Oaks Elementary School
- Monroe Middle School
- Sheldon High School
- McCornack Elementary School
- Camas Ridge Elementary School
- Kennedy Middle School
- South Eugene High School
Additional Buildings and Companies
- Skipworth Juvenile Detention Center
- Armstrong World Industries
- Bailey Hill Meadows Apartments
- Cascade Fiber Company
- Eugene Fruit Growers Association
- Eugene Water & Electric
- First National Bank of Eugene
- Lane County Electric Company
- Willamette Valley Wood Chemical Company
- Eugene City Hall
The Ongoing Risk of Asbestos in Eugene, Oregon
Not all asbestos exposure is in the past. Because so many buildings in Eugene were built with asbestos materials, it lingers and continues to put workers and residents at risk of exposure.
A couple of development projects in Eugene highlight this risk. For example, the city recently sold the abandoned Eugene Water and Electric Board Steam Plant on the riverfront downtown. It will be developed into a new neighborhood and park, but first, requires millions of dollars of asbestos abatement.
Cancer Treatment Near Eugene
Although there isn’t a comprehensive cancer care center in Eugene, the Knight Cancer Institute in nearby Portland is backed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It’s one of the most innovative medical centers in the entire Northwest.
Knight Cancer Institute has more than 200 experts and researchers participating in four different research programs, including cancer prevention and control, hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and cancer biology.
In addition, the Knight Cancer Institute has partnerships with a multitude of national, regional, and worldwide institutions, including:
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center
- The University of California at Los Angeles
- Salem Cancer Institute
- Quality Healthcare
- Mercy Medical Center
- Bay Area Hospital
Knight Cancer Institute Cancer Center
3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, Oregon 97239
Cancer Institute: (503) 494-1617
Health Care Services/OHSU Switchboard: (503) 494-8311
Main Operator at OHSU: 1-888-222-6478
Legal Help in Eugene
Remember, if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for significant compensation. Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.
